Since their official opening on December 19, I’ve managed to swing through Bourbon Steak a few times (twice for dinner, once for cocktails, and once for a bar snack). Here’s a run-through for those that might be interested.
First impressions:
At the moment, you’ll still have to find your way to Bourbon Steak (at the Four Seasons Hotel) through the temporary lobby entrance. The hotel’s lobby should be restored within a few weeks which will make the entrance to the restaurant a main focal point once you get past the reception desk. The Four Seasons staff is always friendly and welcoming but I do wish the restaurant had its own entrance.
Architecturally, I think the restaurant was well done – noticeably updated and more modern than the hotel décor, but not at all out of place. The furnishings consist of deep chocolate colors, soft grays, leather ceiling, warm lights, and comfortable seating (!). The private dining room (which can be divided into two sections depending on the size of your party) is one of the most beautiful in town and has windows on two sides.
Speaking of beautiful – there is no shortage of (in the words of my dining companion) “ascetically pleasing people” working there. There are many “suits” running the floor during this opening phase but I suspect many of them will head back to other Michael Mina outlets soon. When they leave, I hope they take the music soundtrack with them. “Free Bird” and “Janie’s Got a Gun” is just not my idea of dinner music.
Before Dinner:
One of my favorite things about the restaurant is its thorough and creative cocktail menu – extensive but not overwhelming since the drinks are organized by category. It’s easy to navigate depending on what you are in the mood for. However, I suggest you sit at the bar rather than in the lounge seating as the wait staff can be a little over attentive and eager to serve/refill/ask how your drink is. If you’re not in the mood for a mixed drink, the wine list is also very impressive and well organized offering everything from special occasion, to pricey, to “interesting”, to hard to get, to good-value wines. They have some lovely half bottles but I was most impressed by some of the Michael Mina labels (not something I’d usually want to try) which are served by the glass. The list also includes a page of whites and one of reds recommended by the sommelier which have introduced some new favorites. And, the wine staff is extremely approachable and ready to offer right-budget recommendations. I was pleasantly surprised when the sommelier un-snobbishly offered to decant a bottle of red that would have definitely fit in the “value-priced” category.
The Main Event:
What is there not to love about a restaurant that brings you “Duck Fat Fries” as an amuse bouche? Three different types are accompanied with three difference sauces for the table. Try as I might, I’ve yet to be able to resist them. The paprika ones are not my favorite but my recent dining companions disagreed.
For starters, there is a nice selection of shellfish options – including a shellfish platter to share or a platter or oysters/clams. I haven’t made my way through all of the appetizers yet but the standouts to me are the braised oxtail and the Kobe beef tartare, which is usually made table side (although last night it came from the kitchen preassembled). I’ve also tried the black truffle tortellini (nice variation on comfort food), the crab beignets (lite on crab, heavy on beignet), foie gras terrine (beautiful presentation), and the hamachi sashimi (a little too much sesame flavor for my taste).
The sides are fairly traditional and what you might expect from a steak-centric restaurant – baked potato with the fixins, potato puree, and creamed spinach with fried onion on top. The highlights for me have been the truffled mac and cheese (although at a recent visit we found broccoli added into the mac which just seems wrong) and the shaved brussel sprouts with pancetta.
For the main course, so far I’ve stuck to the meats but that’s not to say there aren’t plenty of fish and poultry options which also look good. Highly recommend the short ribs, and the 60-day dry aged cut special (if they have it). I have not been disappointed by any other beef cuts – especially with the option to add grilled foie gras as an accompaniment. Why add fois gras to a decadent, butter-poached then grilled piece of meat? Because you can.
I’m not a dessert person so I’m still hoping that they’ll add a cheese option to future variations of the menu. However, my fellow diners have tried the Macallan/Butterscotch dessert, the coconut candy bar and the bitter chocolate cake with rave reviews. If you skip dessert, there’s still a nice selection of after dinner drinks to keep you company.
Service:
Service has not disappointed in the least – very attentive and helpful without being overly fussy or effusive. They really tune in to the individual and personalize the service. In fact, you may recognize many of the waiters from other fine DC dining rooms (Maestro, CityZen, etc.). And, in classic Maitre d’Hotel style, the managers regularly check in to make sure all’s well. A nice touch I hope they don’t lose over time.
I wholeheartedly recommend Bourbon Steak and don’t want to end on a negative note but, I too ran into the same situation ppsailor01 had with the “Large Party Agreement Form” for 6 people and am extremely put off by it. I understand the restaurant’s motivation to guarantee groups but think it should be a tactic reserved for parties of 12 or more – or when booking out the pdr. At the very least, if you insist on requiring credit card information for a booking of 6 or more, just take my cc info over the phone – don’t burden me with a form that I have to fill out and return. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal (although the cancellation fee of $25 PER PERSON if canceled within 24 hours is…) but it did make me think twice before I extended the dinner invitation to the 3rd couple!
I hope you all find time to check out and enjoy the restaurant.
